The Sharknoses of the Baldwin Locomotive Works

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[@crocowithaglocko5876]

To quote Al Staufer in Pennsy Power II “The sharks weren’t known for speed, but their tenacity for keeping heavy trains moving made them a favorite with a whole generation of hoggers. The speed indicated would sit for minutes at a time barely above zero, yet those sharks would keep pulling, often unlike their EMD competitors”

[@swordkirbyfilms7747]

The RF-16 is the only diesel in my top 10 favorite locomotives.

[@Rebelgamer-1111]

@Enmity the Kindhearted your talking about 50s diesels, you ever heard of the Monon Line?

[@WesternOhioInterurbanHistory]

@@Rebelgamer-1111 It's the Hoosier line!

[@RailsofForney]

It’s not one of my favorites, but I do have a soft spot for certain shark and bulldog nose locomotives because of just how iconic they were. (Plus I also have a Bulldog so who said I wouldn’t 😂)

[@marioabram1560]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/pXq6fX2ZmtlnjLc

[@HighIron]

The Trainz RF-16's were originally from Control Point Simulations, but have since been rebuilt and are now available from Trainz Forge!

[@DFWRailVideos]

Good to know, thank you very much for the info!

[@phoenix4584]

Oooooh

[@Benthetrainkid]

Though some CPS content may also return on JointedRail (as Audie became part of JR after CPS shut down)

[@DFWRailVideos]

I heard he’s redoing his SD70, check the Trainz Forums. Hopefully the B40-8 is next.

[@bapbeepskull]

Wow, that's gonna be sick!

[@damiansmith5294]

It brings me sorrow knowing that so many of these engines were scrapped. But then it brings me joy to know that at least two still exist, with the possibility of them running again. Thank you for your awesome content! It really ignites that old fire of mine for the railroads.

[@HighIron]

Glad you're enjoying the show!

[@D.O.T.D.]

I've always wanted to know more about these baldwin diesels. Thank you!

[@HighIron]

You bet!

[@TheYardLimit]

When the sharks were in freight service in Michigan in the 70s; they ran "double headed" with some geep I believe. IIRC The geep would tow the sharks downhill with the train and then the sharks would lead coming back up hill with a crew running the sharks and someone running the geep separately.

[@fmnut]

Actually this practice used an RS-3. The Geeps came later after the Sharks left for the E&LS.

[@TheYardLimit]

@@fmnut ahhhh right on!

[@benjaminwitte5184]

Thank you for mentioning their service on the MRY, a very overlooked and underrated short line railroad that did big things.

[@HighIron]

Somebody had to keep them in service long enough for preservation to catch up... :P

[@williamkaczmarek3996]

ELS just moved one of the Sharks at their Wells Michigan yard not too long ago. The move was noted by a train You tuber in upper Michigan named Jason Assielin

[@ericprint3576]

The fact they worked on the new york central is incredible

[@wendellellison3482]

Thanks for the very informative video! By the way, about 6 months ago, I saw a KZbin video on the Escanaba Sharknoses. There is actually footage of one of them! It is in rough shape, but unmistakably a Sharknose.

[@HighIron]

They're sure hard to miss. :P

[@Steven_Williams]

Great backstory! The EJ&E also had Baldwin Sharknoses in the form of four DR-4-4-1500 in an A-B-B-A set which were former demo units, and were only on the "J's" roster for five years before being sold to the Baltimore & Ohio railroad. As far as Baldwin DT-6-6-2000 Centercabs were concerned, "The "J " had 27 of the 52 built. Thanks for sharing! "Big ups 👍 from Chicago!"

[@TrailblazerGt554]

i love the old diesel looks like the rf-16

[@giantman6293]

I rode behind the D&H Sharks a couple of times, and got several cab visits. The animation does not come close to depicting the truly aggressive look of these engines. I grew up on steam engines, but the "Sharks" and the "PAs" made lots of fun trips on the D&H. Of course what the D&H did to 759 is another story.

[@hammerheadtheseawing3263]

My two favorite things, sharks AND trains, in one video???? It feels like Christmas

[@marchofstetter8313]

Sharknado

[@FrenchyJr]

These locomotives are so cool looking

[@Thunderbolt_1000_Siren]

That JAWS reference XD priceless We're gonna need a bigger engine

[@paulboger3101]

Made me chuckle 😂

[@toyroadsrails-trainscarspl1709]

I usually prefer the look and feel of Steam Locomotives, I gotta admit these Shark nose Trains look pretty cool. If they made a toy of one for wooden railroads, I'd have to buy it.

[@moestrei]

BLI makes HO scale Sharks, I've got an ABB consist.

[@JohnGeorgeBauerBuis]

@@moestrei Bachmann also makes Baldwin Sharks (the four axle version, both A and B units) in H0 scale.

[@matthewpowell2429]

Great job guys. The PRR Sharknoses are my favorite of their type. Also, love that JAWS reference.

[@BoxcarJerry]

Nice job on the story of the Sharks and Baldwin .

[@yourlocalbaltimorerailfan.6756]

Beautiful and well researched story!

[@HighIron]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@GreyTheFloydianSergal]

One thing that I find a curiousity with American diesel locomotives is the cab at one end. Here in the UK, it was a design choice that didn't catch on with mainline locomotives with only shunters & a handful of type 1 locomotive designs taking the arrangement & even then the controls were doubled. Something else that's apparent is how the builders of these diesels weren't dedicated diesel locomotive builders. In the UK during the Pilot Scheme (which came with the 1955 Modernisation plan), a huge number of locomotive & road vehicle builders stepped up to produce locomotives. The manufacturers that won out ultimately were Brush Traction, English Electric (Both specialised diesel locomotive builders), the Birmingham Locomotive & Carriage works (a hangover from the steam era) & Metro Cammell (of Leyland Trucks & Buses). It's quite amazing how different the railway culture is between the UK & the US

[@rastewart100]

Why didn't road switcher locomotives catch on in the UK?

[@someslavaboo7497]

You make the best railroad history videos ever! I'm not a diesel guy but man the sharknoses are beautiful machines. If you take suggestions, you should do a video on 1. Famous railroad shop complexes such as Juniata, Roanoke, Paducah, etc or 2. Lima's Berkshires, among the most famous steam locomotives in the U.S. Anyways, great work and I can't wait for the next video!!!

[@victorcontreras3368]

Good to know that those two locomotives are still around for future fans to see!

[@OgaugeTrainsplusslotCars]

Cool Baldwin locomotive 🚂 CHEERS from the Rails of Newark New Jersey 👍♐️

[@powellmountainmike8853]

I have subscribed to your channel. I am a railfan, have been since I was a very young child, and am now 70 years old. I was around for the very tail end of the steam era on main line railroads. I get a kick out of your channel's name. I have a book of photographs by Lucius Beebe titled "High Iron." Have you seen the book?

[@frankmarkovcijr5459]

I like you have the Quasi Jaws like music to describe the shark nose hahaha.

[@isaiahmarchington7614]

Makes perfect sense why Andrew Raila’ Bammers put a link to this video in one of the annotations in his Baldwin Centipede episode of his Dead On Arrival series.

[@danielboone3770]

I love these diesels! Yet another image that fuels up my imagination.

[@TheTrainLady]

I got a n scale Shark Nose model for my birthday this year, they’re such cool looking and interesting locomotives it’s so nice to learn more of the story behind them

[@caileanshields4545]

Cracking video, sir. :) The story of Baldwin always generally reminds me of the North British Locomotive Company (NBL) of Glasgow and their mainline diesel designs in response to British Railways' 1955 Pilot Scheme which are now well-known to be lemons by-and-large. Their demise in April 1962 was down to a variety of factors, ranging from a export market they'd been heavily dependent on for decades rapidly contracting, a lack of adequate communication between management and workers on the ground/general management issues to the use of outdated and just plain unsuitable machinery for the precision task of building diesel (and electric) locos, which had the knock-on effect of poor build quality and reliability. But I digress. From a British perspective (and from a person who overall prefers diesel locos to steam), the RF-16 is one of my favourite American diesel designs. Just so unlike anything else, both of it's time and in the decades since.

[@muir8009]

Good comment, and very interesting reflection on North British. Also the fact that in the early 20th century at roughly the same time both NBL and Baldwin massively increased production facilities for an expected flood in orders that never came. Not too sure why, but possibly management saw a continuation of late 19th century operating methods, without foresight as to differing railroad systems, but it would appear more that both companies just plain overextended themselves and their expectations, theres only so many locomotives a market can consume. I digress; your observation of North British reliance on export: the largest order throughout the 1930's being a not particularly large order for "J" class 4-8-2 locomotives for New Zealand in 1939.

[@Stanf954]

Broadway Lmt. came out with a HO RF16 A/B set many years ago. I was fortunate to pick up the A unit and pair it with a E R Models in the D&H Blue Bonnet. E R Models also made them in N scale.

[@roskgo1193]

Love these videos from you! Always make my day to find a new one to learn that much more on railroads and the different locomotives that make up them! Hope to see more of these on different locomotives and railroads soon!

[@Pensyfan19]

Another great video! The cinematic music to introduce the Sharknose is definitely a great feature.

[@HighIron]

It was too good to pass up.

[@rastewart100]

@@HighIron What's the name of the song used to introduce the Sharknose?

[@bouffant-girl]

One of the main reasons that you see the windows open in vintage pictures of streamlined diesel electric locomotives, is that the enclosed diesel prime movers were infamous for exhaust system leaks,and the windows had to be kept open to keep the crews from suffocating on the exhaust gases!

[@awaiting...His...return]

Nice, informative presentation. Thanks

[@carterstarlight4290]

It would be awesome if you did a small documentary on the Alco PA!

[@MatthewNichols-pe6vi]

Thanks for covering the Sharknoses! These are my fav/ locomotives!

[@modelrailpreservation]

I once read somewhere that the Santa Fe was considering purchasing Baldwin Sharks but was pursuaded by EMD not to. I don't remember the details and don't know if it's even true, but it's an interesting 'what if'. I own a number of old Tyco and Roco/Model Power sharks in HO scale, most have been rebuilt (Athearn F unit frames work under plastic Tyco shark bodies, if the frame is turned around and the rear/square end of the frame is cut off) and in addition to prototype paint schemes, I have two in Santa Fe Warbonnet colors (Wholly fictitious but looks really sharp, the contours of the Warbonnet compliment the contours of the body) and one in Rock Island (Again fictitous but with the Rock Island's "We'll try anything" mentality it's wonder they did not have Sharks.) Had the Santa Fe bought some sharks, perhaps other roads would have too.

[@colbeausabre8842]

Easy 1) EMD had a great record on the Santa Fe, which already owned 320 FT's and 93 F3's before the RF-16 was introduced - and would then buy 462 of the directly competing F7's ( and 36 F9's) Alco also sold no FA's to ATSF 2) Adding another model meant having to train your shops to maintain a completely different model and stock a whole range of spare parts not used on anything else (ATSF rostered 110 BLW switchers and 7 transfer units - none of which used the same generation of engine as the Sharks) 3) Word was getting around the industry about how BLW units were failing on the road and being hard to maintain (due to its "each unit different" philosophy 4) ATSF was a high speed line - it ditched it slow speed second hand ex-N&W and ex-C&O articulateds as fast as it could after WW2. So, the RF-16's strong suit, lugging drag freight at slow speeds was diametrically against its operating philosophy 5) EMD and the ATSF mechanical department had a close and strong relationship 6) EMD had legendarily superior customer service. Old steam builders barely understood the concept

[@modelrailpreservation]

@@colbeausabre8842 Those are some good points. To be honest I do have my doubts about the story I read about the ATSF considering sharks, I find that some of the older books I have, do contain a fair number of errors or oft-repeated misinformation.

[@stephenheath8465]

AT&SF was a big customer of Baldwin Steamers,so it makes sense

[@MabyeAHandle]

I can already tell this is gonna be awsome

[@ralphbalfoort2909]

Two things. The first 'Sharks' were DR-6-4-2000 units built for the Pennsy, and riding on A-1-A trucks, competition for EMD E-units and Alco PAs.. The first freight 'Sharks' were DR-4-4-1500s, essentially 'Baby Face' units in a new carbody; they became RF-16s when the engines were uprated to 1600 hp.

[@bendries4123]

Baldwin had it right the first time wheels was the correct design choice

[@Tom-Lahaye]

IMO the best looking streamlined diesel ever. Baldwin had limited success on the American market. But they also exported a limited number of locomotives to Argentina, 51 of the RF615-E1 series. They sold a license to the Belgian locomotive builder Cockerill, which did build around 200 locomotives equipped with the 608A prime mover for the Belgian Railways, and exported locomotives to railways in Africa and also Argentina. The Belgian locomotives were quite successful, the oldest class, the 59, operated between 1955 and 2001, the later class 51 with an uprated 608A prime mover of 2150hp from 1960 to 2005. Several of both classes run in preservation, and the class 59 may come closest to the RF-16 sound. Search for NMBS reeks 59 on YT and you will find a number of videos. I do remember both classes well, and especially the class 51 was known to be a strong puller, I have seen a single unit on a 45 car steel slab train weighing around 4000 tons

[@guineapiglady2841]

0:09 Those cute cars!!

[@marvwatkins7029]

Great graphics!

[@Ikindaenjoytrains]

It is from Trainz 2019, a video game. But even still, these are great shots.

[@Gdayhomie]

Idk why, but I just love those old Baldwin diesel switchers. They just look cute. Keep making these kind of videos especially for well unknown locos that might've had a huge influence

[@HighIron]

Glad you like them!

[@Gdayhomie]

@@HighIron glad to be a subscriber

[@fmnut]

Nicely done, especially the use of sims to illustrate scenes never committed to film. However, a bit on the passenger Sharks would have been nice.

[@scottpool4777]

Love them sharks

[@teschvalleyrailroad]

When I first learned about the Sharknose, and specifically the 2 D&H units in storage in my birthtown of Escanaba, Michigan, I had to add them to my O Gauge Layout! Very cool video and history lesson.

[@alcopower5710]

Very informative and nicely presented. Love your content 👍

[@tylergreen4843]

1:01 it's my favorite 4-6-2 pacific, Florida East Coast railway #148

[@planebois]

Keep making these great documentaries!

[@muir8009]

Subject matter is great, but what I genuinely enjoyed is the excellent written narrative; you are a very erudite person, and it really showed here, very pleasing.

[@tennesseevalleyrailfanner]

Great video! It was a real pleasure meeting you at the Madison TN Swap Meet!

[@jwrappuhn71]

Excellent.

[@HighIron]

Many thanks!

[@yrunaked4]

my fav Baldwin was the BP20

[@DFWRailVideos]

Very good video High Iron! This video does a good job explaining the history of Baldwin and it’s venture into dieseldom. Love it!

[@HighIron]

Much appreciated!

[@bigdmac33]

Nice presentation.

[@anthonyj.adventures9736]

So i was looking at my keys for my fleet equipment. Where i keep keys for my employees to use the equipment. The lock boxes with the equipment keys in them (on the machines) the keys i give my employees to access the box have the weird hollowed circle for the teeth. The keys and lock boxes are made by ILCO which also built locomotives for in Philly for Baldwin.

[@Triplez43]

LOL the jaws theme got me

[@YukariAkiyamaTanks]

Absolutely amazing video! I loved the Jaws music when you first introduced the sharks. Do yall think yall will cover the RF16s bigger cousins? The DR6-4-2000.

[@dancostello6465]

Love that shark nose.

[@bisdriven5476]

delaware and hudson too!

[@charamspaint]

It's a good day when high iron makes a new video

[@michaelosgood9876]

Glad 2 were saved

[@frankmarkovcijr5459]

In response to New York City anti-smoke regulations Baldwin started to make diesel switchers in 1939. Steam locomotives with good maintenance last forever and all of the engines that were sold to second-hand lines we're still running 20 30 40 years later in Freight Service. Some tourist railroads would use their engines for Freight Service during the week and passenger service on the weekends.

[@richardgonzalez6409]

E7s and shark noses where the zenith of diesel design.

[@jesikebiking]

This is a great great video for every train buff

[@mgr_video_productions]

Amazing video. Always found the story of the Baldwin sharknoses fascinating.

[@HighIron]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@chuckz8053]

Thanks, nice narration.

[@NScaleTrainBoy]

Excellent video as always!! I rewatch the editorials especially all the time, each one is better than the last!

[@HighIron]

Glad you like them!

[@TexasRailfan21-RailfanRyan]

I have a request for a video you should do you should documents Baldwin locomotive Works Last Road switcher the RS12

[@joelchristensen9503]

RF-16 my favorite loco! I hope the Larkin's at the ELS will fix them up or donate them soon. I hear they will be after the patriarchs passing. If I remember right the sharks were moved in April. The move was taped by Jason Asselin.

[@Train115]

I have a challenge, figure out whatever you can on B&O H7-Class steam locomotives and present it in video form.

[@RailroadNerdOfIllinois]

If I had a old era locomotive, it would be the shark head. Cause I love how the cab looks. It really dose look like a shark. But anyways keep up the good work man!

[@HighIron]

Right on

[@bruceraykiewicz6274]

Great video. Good information. Thank you. Sincerely, Papasmurf7597.

[@wrrail]

just subcribed, I really like this content super informtiave and fun to watch

[@HighIron]

Welcome aboard!

[@shanecochran1969]

A great video on the old Shark Nose units. I myself am a huge fan of that design. I'm not real knowledgeable in train locomotives, Steam or diesel. But a truly rail fan at heart. I really enjoyed this video, I hope you can do more on some of these now defunct locomotives. I'd really like to see a video done on the P-30CH POOCH. It had a short run with Amtrak, and I've always heard that they rode ruff, and had alot of mechanical issues. But I think they were amazing looking myself...

[@CSXRailfanBrony-ChessieDayligh]

The Baldwin Shark Nose RF-16 diesels were one of my most favorites.

[@davidbross6942]

The transition from steam to diesel electric/electric reminds me of the current transition in progress from internal combusion engines to electric motors for highway vehicles.

[@mirdordinii5783]

That opening shot on Cemetary Road is not one I've seen before.

[@TheSonic10160]

A further advantage that EMD enjoyed over all its other competition is that during WWII it was allowed to continue building and developing diesel-electric locomotives, building up comparitively vast in-house working knowledge on the principles and foibles of diesel-electric traction, allowing them to come out the gate at war's end with fully functional and highly reliable products while the legacy manufacturers had to learn essentially from scratch.

[@candleflame4355]

I didnt notice any talk about the Longer sister of the RF-16, the bP-20 as prr designated them.

[@weird1012]

This content is GREAT, you definitely deserve more subscribers

[@robertbalazslorincz8218]

"Did someone say.. *WHEELS* ?" *NFL Theme kicks in*

[@miles_da-tractor_man]

I hope one day that last 2 RF-16’s ride the rails one day

[@mattsmocs3281]

There was almost a third survivor. At the Harry E colliery in swoyersville PA, a PRR baldwin B unit was placed on semi truck trailer sets, preservationist were close to acquiring the unit from RMDI in coxton pa. Sadly she was scrapped. I forgot the exact date it happened it was between 1997 and 2003

[@RMSTitanicWSL]

Dynamic brakes were an exra-cost option on Alco and EMD locomotives all the way to the end of Alco, and all the way to the 60-series for EMD, though it would be 30 Missouri Pacific GP50s that would be the last units ordered without dynamic brakes.

[@npk765fan]

Hi

[@mrpizzach1221]

Hello there

[@ricksadler797]

Cool video thank you 🙏

[@DalekPratt1963]

@High Iron Could you make a story about the Nebraska Zephyr? "Silver Pilot" Because it is a big engine in the Illinois area. It is still around at the Illinois Railway Musuem in Union, IL. She is undergoing repairs at the moment I think but her most recent top speed was 80mph back in 2012 when she went back out onto the main line.

[@DalekPratt1963]

@@Matts_Conrail_Chicago_Mainline If there aren't any models of that, what about the 1630 Frisco Decapod?

[@arthurfrancodelimajunior1747]

Very good this video. 👏👏👏👏

[@MatNichols-iz9dy]

Omg yes!! I love the shark noses!!

[@herbertrodriquez6456]

The 6 axle Baldwin Sharks are awesome. Can't wait for them to come out in Pennsylvania ho scale.

[@ericcriteser4001]

Thanks for sharing.

[@mattsmocs3281]

The shark was a inferior version of the babyface. Especially the double end CNJ ones.

[@burlingtonnorthern11]

Another great video! These documentaries are great! I never really knew the story of the Sharknoses. Personally i'd like to see a video about the mighty Tunnel Motors.

[@AndrewTheRocketCityRailfan4014]

Correction: Baldwin was unwilling to switch to diesel locomotive manufacturing. They saw it as a fad that would fade off due to its arrogance. They weren't willing to innovate, which is why their diesels were obsolete, thus why their diesels had the problems of not being built with assembly lines, and why they were using air throttles (like in steam locomotives) instead of electric ones.

[@Jimmy-zo7xv]

GREAT VIDEO!😎

[@hush6149]

You could say 1205 & 1216 are some slippery fish

[@guineapiglady2841]

Old trains are cute.